2 tourists killed, 3 injured in Thai speedboat crash

Two speedboats ferrying 62 passengers between resort islands in country's south when they crashed

By CS Thana

BANGKOK (AA) - Two tourists died and three more were seriously injured after two speedboats carrying Chinese tourists crashed into each other in Southern Thailand on Wednesday.

Naval Police Commander Prasert Srikulert told Anadolu Agency that two tourists had died at the scene and the three others were in a critical condition in hospital after the incident off the tourist resort of Phuket.

"We are not prepared at this moment to say how the accident happened but there was scattered thunderstorms within the area and heavy waves on Wednesday morning," he said.

Srikulert added that police had rescued the rest of the passengers and they had been transferred to Phuket and were receiving consular services from their respective embassies.

The speedboats were carrying a total of 62 passengers and both vessels were ferrying tourists between the resort islands of Phuket and Phi Phi when the incident occurred at around noon local time.